Slicing machine



April 1929- w. a. WOLFF 1,707,701

SLICING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1928 Invenior 7))?Zlacl. 2%Zff 9 Agorig;

Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,707,701 PATENT OFFICE.

WALLACE B. WOLFE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'lO AMERICAN SLICINGMA- CHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SLICING MACHINE.

Application filed April- 13, 1928. Serial No. 269,705.

My invention relates to a slicing. machine and particularly to a slicingmachine having a rotary knife and means for driving it, of the typewherein a work supporting carriage is provided and means for guidingitacross the face of the knife. One object of my invention is to furnisha support for the slices which are being cut. The presence of such a.support, which holds the slice in the plane of the larger piece fromwhich it is cut, insures a uniform and efficient severance of'the slicesfrom the piece, prevents ragged slices, and prevents slices from beingpartially severed. A clear, complete cut is insured. Another object ofmy invention is'to prevent the slices from falling into the spacebetween the gauge plate and the carriage, and to insure that each slicecut shall pass through the space between gauge plate and knife to thetrough or receiving means. Other objects will appear from time to timein the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is .a front elevation;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a sectionon. line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure-4 is a detail.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

A indicates any suitable slicing machine base I member having the groundengaging supports or studs A B generally indicates any suitable housingmember or body upwardly projectin therefrom having associated therewitha face plate B normally fixed in position and a gauge plate 13 which maybe moved toward and away from the plane of the knife as for example byrotation of the knob 13". I do not wish to be limited to any particularmeans for imparting movement to the gau e plate but-I have herein shownlugs B on t e rear of the gauge plate, levers or arms B pivoted thereto,themselves pivoted as at B, a gear B" associated with one of said leversand a worm B in mesh therewith and actuated by the knob B. Y

C indicates the knife, it being herein shown as recessed .in its forwardface as at C in order to permit the peripheral portion C to projectoutwardly into and slightly beyond the planes of the face plate B Itwill upon the supports D Beneath it is a supplemental track D hereinshown as of rectangular cross-section. D indicates a carriage slidablealong the track D, provided with a downward extension D formed tosurround the track D and thus to prevent rotation of the carriage Dabout the track D. D is any suitable manual handle whereby the carriagemay be moved along the track D. D is any suitable material carrying traypositioned upon the carriage D Unless the gauge plate B is adjusted sofar forward as to lie practically in the plane of the cutting edge ofthe knife C there will be a space between the gauge plate and thecarriage plate D. If this space 1s left open, bits or slices of materialmay under some circumstances drop therethrough instead of passingthrough the space between the knife edge C and the opposed arcuate edgeof the gauge plate. In order to render this impossible and to insurethat all slices shall pass through such gap I provide a supplementalhorizontal ledge or plane surfaced member, to prevent such slices fromdropping down between the gauge plate B and the carrier plate D.

As shown for example in Figure 3 I illustrate this member as a flathorizontal shelf E'with an inward extension E which may be mounted forexam 10 upon any suitable support E upon the flame of the machine. E isan extension to the right, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, which is cut awaor formed as at E in order to hug the rear 0 the peripheral portion C ofthe knife. The portion E proper is aligned with a horizontal slot oraperture E in the face plate in such fashion that the face plate may befreely adjusted. The gap between the edge of the plate E and the carrierplate D is so thin that no fragment or slice of material of anysubstantial thickness can pass therethrough. Preferably the upper levelof the shelf E is at the same height or even slightly higher than thetop of the plate D.

For example, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, I may make a shelf member Eadjustable to- Ward and away from the knife edge, as by the employmentof the slots E through which pass the locking or adjusting screws E.

It will be realized that whereas I have de-- 'knife, and in employingthe gauge plate against which the work is thrust, whether manually ormechanically, it is important to support the slice while the slice'isbeing cut. Were it possible, which it is not, to have the carriageapproach so' close to the gauge plate that no interval is. left betweengauge plate and carriage, there will be no necessity of supporting theslice in the front ofthe gauge .plate. However the mere fact that thegauge plate is adjusted toward and away from the path of the carriageinsures that there will be a space between gauge plate and carriage.

And furthermore, the increase of the opening.

between the edge of the gauge plate and the cutting edge of the knife,which determines the thickness of the slice, insures that there willalways be a space between carriage, gauge plate and knife at that point,in which the carriage ives no support. I therefore provide a shelf or suport which cooperates with the carriage and which is independent, in'itssupporting function, of the position of the gauge plate.

' Referring to Figures 2 and 3 it will be clear .that the shelf E veryclosely approaches the edgeof the carriage, irrespective of the positionof the gauge plate, the gauge plate of course being slotted to permitthe passage of the shelf E ,therethrough. Therefore no slice orfragmentof meat can drop down through the space between the carriage andgauge plate.

Even more important is the lateral extension E of the shelf E, which isformed to hug the cutting edge of the knife. This insures that theslice, in course of severance,-

will be supported up to the instant of its com letion.

T e support at this point revents partially completed slices and litt etail'ends of meat from-sliding down around the corner of the gauge plateand gettin between the front of the carriage and the nife.

In view of the frequent practice of using "vitreous enamel for carriageand auge plate the addition of the slice supporting shelf is plateprevents the last slice from falling down between the frontof thecarriage and the gauge plate.

I claim:

1. In a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means for rotating it,a carriage and means for guiding it along a path across the plane ofsaid knife, a gauge plate lying in a plane generally parallel with thepath of movement of said carriage, and means for moving it toward andaway from said carriage, and a shelf member outwardly projecting fromthe plane of said gauge plate toward said carriage and supporting meanstherefor independent of said gauge plate. 0

2. In a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means; for rotatingit, a carriage and means for guidin it along a path across the plane ofsaid kni e, a gauge plate lying in a plane generally parallel with thepath of movement of said carriage, and means for moving it toward and.away fromsaidfcarriage, and a shelf member outwardly projecting from theplane of said gauge plate toward said carriage, said gauge plate beingup slotted to permit the projection of said shelf therethrough. I

3. In a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means for rotating it.a carriage and means for guiding it along a path across the planeof saidknife, a gauge plate lying in a plane generally parallel with the pathof movement of said carriage, and means for moving it toward and awayfrom said carriage, and a shelf member outwardly projecting from theplane of said gauge plate toward said carriage and supporting meanstherefor independent of said gauge plate, the edge of said shelf memberclosely approaching the edge of said carriage and lying in a planegenerally parallel with the plane of the carriage edge and its path ofmovement.

4. In a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means for rotating it,a carriage and means for guiding it along a path across the plane ofsaid knife, a gauge plate'lying in a plane generally parallel with thepath of movement of said carriage, and means for moving it toward andaway from said carriage, and a shelf member outwardly proj ecting fromthe plane of said gauge plate toward said carriage and supportin meanstherefor independent of said gauge p ate, and a lateral extension fromsaid shelf member conforming closely to the edge of said knife.

5. In a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means for rotating it,a carriage and means for guiding it along a path across the plane ofsaid knife, a. gauge plate lying in a plane generally parallel with thepath of movement of said carriage, and means for moving it toward andaway from said carriage, and a shelf member outwardly projecting fromthe plane of said gauge plate toward said carriage and supporting meanstherefor independent of said gauge plate, a lateral ext nsion fromsaidshelf member conforming c osely to the edge of said knife, andhugging the rear face of said knife.

6. In a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means for rotating it,a carriage and means for guiding it along a path across the plane ofsaid knife, a gauge plate lying in a plane generally parallel with thepath of movement of said carriage, and means for moving it toward andaway from said carriage, and a shelf member outwardly projecting fromthe plane of said gauge plate toward 7. In a slicing machine having arotary knife and means for rotating it, a carriage and means for guidingit along a path across the plane of said knife, a gauge plate lying in aplane generally parallel with the path of movement of said carriage, andmeans for moving it toward and away from said carriage, and a shelfmember outwardly projectingfrom the plane of said gauge platetoward saidcarriage and supporting,means therefor independent of said gauge plate,and means for adjusting said shelf member toward and away from the edgeof the knife( Signed at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,this 23rd day of March,

l/VALLACE B. WOLFF.

